BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Barbados will host the 8th Annual African Diaspora Heritage Trail (ADHT) conference here next month.
The September 17-19 conference, expected to be attended by approximately 400 members of the African Diaspora will be held under the theme “Our Freedom, Our Identity: Uncover, Recover, Discover”.
The organisers said the primary goal is to establish heritage trails which link the Diaspora traditions in Africa, the Caribbean, North America, South America and Europe.
Related tourism aims include the pinpointing of authentic local culture dating back to African slavery; the publishing of a tourism management guide geared for the expanding cultural heritage market and the development of a network of partners dedicated to providing all the necessary skills and resources for furthering cultural heritage destinations.
“Barbados, in particular, should benefit tremendously from hosting this conference. Apart from providing hospitality for around 400 extra people on the land, the islanders will also receive aid in developing a strong cultural heritage component for its tourism, aimed especially at attracting visitors from within the Diaspora. This could in turn result in mutually beneficial business relationships,” said Valerie Marshall, Product Integration Manager with the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA).
The keynote speaker at the ADHT conference is Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI).
The ADHT conference originated in Bermuda as a cultural heritage tourism initiative developed by the Ministry of Tourism in that country. It has since been endorsed by UNESCO.
Source: Antigua Observer
